Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1802-1803
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
†BULL'S HEAD, n. “A signal of condemnation, and prelude of immediate execution, said to have been anciently used in Scotland” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2). See also J. H. Burton Hist. of Scot. (1876) II. 416 and H. Tayler Child Sovereigns of Scot. (1937) 38.Edb. 1802–1803 J. Leyden in Minstr. Sc. Border (ed. Scott) II. 365:
And if the bull's ill omened head Appear to grace the feast, Your whingers with unerring speed, Plunge in each neighbour's breast.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Bull's Head n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bulls_head>
